The Terrifying Prospects of Splitting Soul Skills

Of course, only Xu Yang could manage something like this. If another fire-attribute Spirit Master of comparable caliber tried to absorb this thousand-year Slime Soul Ring, it certainly would not be easy, and they might even damage their foundation.

This Slime had lived attached to the Sun Flower Sea. After being exposed to dense Sun Power year after year, its body had long been saturated with terrifying Sun Power. The ferocity of its Soul Power was comparable to that of a two- to three-thousand-year Spirit Beast.

But Xu Yang's martial soul was the sun itself, inherently a vessel for Sun Power and highly resistant to it. The Slime's rootless Soul Power would only become nourishment for the evolution of his Sun Martial Soul.

Seeing Xu Yang's frown ease after only a moment, Ning Haiyan was not worried in the slightest. He knew Xu Yang's physical strength better than anyone; it had even earned Elder Gu Rong's approval. Something of this level was, at most, a slightly higher threshold for Xu Yang. Nothing would go wrong.

Two hours later, Xu Yang emerged from his Soul Ring absorption state. With Ning Haiyan guarding him, no Spirit Beasts had appeared to disturb him during that time.

"How was it?! What's the soul skill?!" The moment Xu Yang opened his eyes, Ning Haiyan asked impatiently.

"Just as expected—it's Split!"

A smile curled across Xu Yang's lips. With a gesture of his hand, the sun floating above his head split into three new suns, leaving four of them hovering overhead in total.

Xu Yang lightly beckoned with his right hand, and one of them descended into his palm. He aimed it at the massive tree beside him. With a sharp whoosh, the sun left a huge hole in the trunk. Before Ning Haiyan could react, the entire tree turned to ash and scattered in the wind.

"This..." Ning Haiyan was stunned by Xu Yang's display.

He knew that the Sun Martial Soul possessed flames no weaker than his own, but he had never expected such terrifying power. That tree had been so thick that five people could not have encircled it, and having remained under Sun Power for years, its trunk was as hard as iron. Even a Soul Elder could not cut it down in one strike, yet Xu Yang had reduced it to ashes with a single blow. This showed just how powerful the flames of the Sun Martial Soul were.

"That's not all. This is only the simplest use. I can also..."

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

As he spoke, Xu Yang swept his right hand.

The Sun Martial Soul fragments still hovering in the distance began spewing flames in every direction. Wherever the Fire Snakes passed, everything turned to ash, leaving Ning Haiyan staring in dumbfounded shock.

"It's just a pity that perfectly controlling these martial soul fragments depends on my Heart Separation Control realm. I've only reached the Four Aperture Constant Heart, so I can only control four martial souls. Also, I still can't make these fragments self-destruct, or their power would be even greater.

"But I've already considered it. For my fourth Soul Ring, I'll choose the Exploding Flame Tree, a fire-attribute Spirit Beast. If I obtain an Explosion Soul Skill then, I should be able to make these martial soul fragments explode repeatedly ahead of time. Just imagine it: with a single thought, dozens of suns would fall from the sky like meteors. Everything in their path would be reduced to dust and ashes. Just thinking about it gets me excited!"

What more could you possibly want?! Are you trying to ascend to the heavens?!

Xu Yang's shamelessly boastful words nearly made Ning Haiyan curse out loud. Still, he now understood why the Sect Leader had agreed to let Xu Yang hunt a Spirit Beast like the Slime. Its soul skill was practically a perfect fit for the Sun Martial Soul!

Now that he thought about it, this soul skill had an incredibly high ceiling. It would likely remain useful even after reaching the Titled Douluo realm.

After completing their Spirit Beast hunt, the two left Sunset Forest.

A few days later, auctions were being held simultaneously at the Seven Treasure Auction Houses in the two imperial capitals, Heaven Dou City and Star Luo City.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the next auction item is Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber... I imagine you are all quite puzzled. Why is an aphrodisiac being presented as the finale item at our Seven Treasure Auction House?!" The host smiled as he looked at the crowd below.

"That's right! Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber is only a somewhat better aphrodisiac. We Spirit Masters have no need for such things at all!"

"What right does whale rubber have to be the finale item?!"

"Exactly! If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can't provide a proper finale item, then don't hold an auction!"

"..."

For a time, the people below began shouting loudly. Even the royal family members and top nobles in the private rooms furrowed their brows. Though they said nothing, their dissatisfaction was apparent.

Because of the characteristics of its martial soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect possessed the ability to identify treasures. Therefore, every Seven Treasure Auction attracted large numbers of nobles, royal family members, and top-tier Spirit Masters, all for the rare treasures that were seldom seen elsewhere.

But what was the point of bringing out a piece of Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber now?!

"I'm sure everyone knows that two years ago, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect suddenly purchased enormous quantities of whale rubber, nearly buying up the entire continent's supply. There were even rumors that our Sect Leader was in poor health.

"But the truth is not what you imagine. That was only because the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect discovered another use for whale rubber. Through research by the sect's physicians, we found that its aphrodisiac effect is merely a secondary benefit. Its true function is to improve one's physical constitution, thereby increasing the maximum age of Soul Rings a Spirit Master can absorb."

Before the host had even finished speaking, the entire auction house fell silent, so quiet that not even an echo could be heard.

"Host, are you saying that whale rubber can increase the age of Soul Rings a Spirit Master can absorb?!"

A middle-aged man seated near the center of the audience stood up and asked in disbelief.

"That's correct. According to research conducted by the physicians of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, hundred-year whale rubber can increase the body's tolerance by up to ten to fifty years, thousand-year whale rubber by one hundred to five hundred years, and Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber by one thousand to five thousand years. Of course, this improvement is not unlimited. For instance, a Soul Scholar can absorb at most thousand-year whale rubber; they cannot withstand the medicinal potency of Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber. Only upon reaching the Soul Elder realm can one fully absorb Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber. Furthermore, repeated use of whale rubber greatly reduces its effects." The host nodded with a smile and slowly explained the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's research results to those present.

"Then how will you prove that what you said is true? Who knows whether the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect isn't simply making this up to raise the price of whale rubber?!"

"Exactly! Exactly! How will you prove it?!"

The moment the middle-aged man spoke, others immediately echoed him. They simply could not believe that the whale rubber they had always looked down upon possessed such an effect. More importantly, if the host's words were true, the entire continent's Spirit Master landscape would change.

Absorbing Soul Rings beyond one's level meant that the foundations of the various major powers' geniuses would be more solid, their cultivation faster, and their chances of maturing greater. It could even produce more Titled Douluo. From then on, whale rubber would become a resource fought over first by the major powers.

"Of course we can prove it. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has studied whale rubber for two years, so naturally we have gained something ourselves!"

Clap! Clap!...

After saying that, the host clapped his hands. Four youths of different ages immediately walked out from behind the stage. The youngest was only ten, while the oldest was twenty. The four stood in pairs on either side of the whale rubber.